Amir, Erdogan hold key talks, seal numerous bilateral deals

KUWAIT: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks with HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday, as a crisis that has split Qatar from its Gulf neighbors enters its sixth month. Erdogan and Sheikh Sabah discussed “regional and international developments” the KUNA news agency said. A group of nations led by Saudi Arabia and including Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates cut ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting extremists and fostering ties with Riyadh’s archrival Iran.

Qatar, the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, denies the accusations. Kuwait has led mediation efforts in the dispute, while Turkey has stepped in to support Qatar with food imports in the face of a blockade by the Arab states. Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah said the talks highlighted deep-rooted bilateral relations, ways to bolster them and means to improve cooperation on all fronts.

Kuwait and Turkey also signed a number of agreements in a ceremony held at Bayan Palace with both nations’ leaders in attendance. The ceremony brought together HH Sheikh Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Erdogan.

Among the agreements was a deal for cooperation in sports, in which Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry as well as Acting Minister of State for Youth Affairs Khaled Al-Roudhan, along with his Turkish counterpart Osman Askin Bak were the signatories.

Meanwhile, a memorandum of understanding to encourage bilateral investment was signed by Director General of Kuwait’s Direct Investment Promotion Authority Sheikh Dr Meshaal Al-Sabah and president of Turkey’s Investment Support and Promotion Agency Arda Ermut.

A protocol for cooperation between Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) and Turkey’s Scientific and Technological Research Council was also signed, where KISR’s Director General Dr Samira Omar and the president of the Turkish national agency Prof Dr Arif Ergin put their names on the dotted line. Turkey and Kuwait’s military chiefs of staff also held talks on the “developing and strengthening” military cooperation, according to KUNA. The Turkish president, who has called for the lifting of the sanctions against Qatar, is scheduled to visit Doha today.

Separately, HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah received HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the Amiri airport terminal yesterday after Sheikh Nawaf returned following successful medical checkups in the US. The Amir was accompanied by senior officials and sheikhs. – Agencies